Transport container having compartments that can be individually pressurized

Abstract

A container for use in transporting particulate materials includes a plurality of product compartments, with each such compartment having a material outlet in communication therewith through which particulate material in the compartment may be discharged. The container also includes a gas-tight bulkhead separating a pair of adjacent product compartments, and an unloading system that is adapted for removal of particulate materials from the product compartments. The unloading system includes a source for supplying a pressurizing gas, and one or more top air conduits connecting the pressurizing gas source to the product compartments for conveying pressurizing gas to the product compartments. The unloading system also includes a material conveying conduit that is in fluid communication with one or more of the material outlets and which includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded. The unloading system is adapted for selectively pressurizing one or more of the product compartments so that particulate material may be discharged through the material outlet of a product compartment that is pressurized. The unloading system is also adapted for entraining material that is discharged through a material outlet in the material conveying conduit and conveying such material to the discharge end of the conduit.

1. A container for use in transporting particulate materials, said container comprising:
 (a) a plurality of product compartments, with each such compartment having a material outlet in communication therewith through which particulate material in the compartment may be discharged;  
 (b) a gas-tight bulkhead separating a pair of adjacent product compartments;  
 (c) an unloading system that is adapted for removal of particulate materials from the product compartments, said unloading system including: 
 (i) a source for supplying a pressurizing gas;  
 (ii) one or more top air conduits connecting the pressurizing gas source to the product compartments for conveying pressurizing gas to the product compartments;  
 (iii) a material conveying conduit that is in fluid communication with a plurality of the material outlets, which conduit includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded;  
 which unloading system is adapted for:  
 (iv) selectively pressurizing one or more of the product compartments so that particulate material may be discharged through the material outlet of a product compartment that is pressurized;  
 (v) entraining material that is discharged through a material outlet in the material conveying conduit and conveying such material to the discharge end of the conduit.  
 
 
   
   
     2. The container of  claim 1  wherein the unloading system is adapted for selectively pressurizing one or more of the product compartments without simultaneously pressurizing all of the product compartments. 
   
   
     3. The container of  claim 1  which comprises:
 (a) a front product compartment having a front material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (b) a middle product compartment having a middle material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (c) a first gas-tight bulkhead between the front compartment and the middle compartment;  
 (d) a rear product compartment having a rear material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (e) a second gas-tight bulkhead between the middle compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (f) a first top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the front compartment and the rear compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the front compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (g) a second top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the middle compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the middle compartment;  
 (h) a valve for selectively directing pressurizing gas into either the first top air conduit or the second top air conduit;  
 (i) a material conveying conduit which is in fluid communication with the pressurizing gas source and the front, middle and rear material outlets.  
 
   
   
     4. The container of  claim 3  which includes a bypass circuit by which pressurizing gas may be selectively directed into the front product compartment and the rear product compartment, the front product compartment but not the rear product compartment, or the rear product compartment but not the front product compartment. 
   
   
     5. The container of  claim 3  in which:
 (a) the first gas-tight bulkhead is convex in shape and arranged with its convex side facing into the middle compartment; and  
 (b) the second gas-tight bulkhead is convex in shape and arranged with its convex side facing into the middle compartment.  
 
   
   
     6. The container of  claim 3  in which:
 (a) the first gas-tight bulkhead is arranged at an angle between the front compartment and the middle compartment; and  
 (b) the second gas-tight bulkhead is arranged at an angle between the middle compartment and the rear compartment.  
 
   
   
     7. A container for use in transporting particulate materials, said container comprising:
 (a) a front product compartment having a front material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (b) a middle product compartment having a middle material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (c) a first gas-tight bulkhead between the front compartment and the middle compartment;  
 (d) a rear product compartment having a rear material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (e) a second gas-tight bulkhead between the middle compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (f) a first top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the front compartment and the rear compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the front compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (g) a front pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the front compartment;  
 (h) a rear pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the rear compartment;  
 (i) a second top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the middle compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the middle compartment;  
 (j) a middle pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the second top air conduit into the middle compartment;  
 (k) a valve for selectively directing pressurizing gas into either the first top air conduit or the second top air conduit;  
 (l) a material conveying conduit which is in fluid communication with the pressurizing gas source and the front, middle and rear material outlets, which conduit includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded.  
 
   
   
     8. The container of  claim 7  wherein the unloading system is adapted for selectively pressurizing the front and rear product compartments without simultaneously pressurizing the middle product compartment. 
   
   
     9. The container of  claim 7  which includes a bypass circuit by which pressurizing gas may be selectively directed into the front product compartment and the rear product compartment, the front product compartment but not the rear product compartment, or the rear product compartment but not the front product compartment. 
   
   
     10. A method for unloading particulate material from a product compartment of a container, which method comprises:
 (a) providing a container for use in transporting particulate materials, said container comprising: 
 (i) a plurality of product compartments, with each such compartment having a material outlet in communication therewith through which particulate material in the compartment may be discharged;  
 (ii) a gas-tight bulkhead separating a pair of adjacent product compartments;  
 (iii) a source for supplying a pressurizing gas;  
 (iv) one or more top air conduits connecting the pressurizing gas source to the product compartments for conveying pressurizing gas to the product compartments;  
 (v) a material conveying conduit that is in fluid communication with a plurality of the material outlets, which conduit includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded;  
 
 (b) pressurizing a product compartment without pressurizing all of the product compartments;  
 (c) discharging particulate material through the material outlet of a product compartment which is pressurized into the material conveying conduit;  
 (d) entraining material in the material conveying conduit and conveying such material to the discharge end of the conduit.  
 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10  which includes the following step instead of step (a):
 (a1) providing a container for use in transporting particulate materials, said container comprising: 
 (i) a front product compartment having a front material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (ii) a middle product compartment having a middle material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (iii) a first gas-tight bulkhead between the front compartment and the middle compartment;  
 (iv) a rear product compartment having a rear material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (v) a second gas-tight bulkhead between the middle compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (vi) a first top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the front compartment and the rear compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the front compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (vii) a front pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the front compartment;  
 (viii) a rear pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the rear compartment;  
 (ix) a second top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the middle compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the middle compartment;  
 (x) a middle pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the second top air conduit into the middle compartment;  
 (xi) a valve for selectively directing pressurizing gas into either the first top air conduit or the second top air conduit;  
 (xii) a material conveying conduit which is in fluid communication with the pressurizing gas source and the front, middle and rear material outlets, which conduit includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded.  
 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  which includes the following step instead of step (b):
 (b1) selectively pressurizing the front and rear product compartments without simultaneously pressurizing the middle product compartment;  
 and which includes the following step instead of step (c):  
 (c1) discharging particulate material through the material outlet of the front and rear product compartments into the material conveying conduit.  
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 11  which includes the following step instead of step (a1):
 (a2) providing a container for use in transporting particulate materials, said container comprising: 
 (i) a front product compartment having a front material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (ii) a middle product compartment having a middle material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (iii) a first gas-tight bulkhead between the front compartment and the middle compartment;  
 (iv) a rear product compartment having a rear material outlet that is in communication therewith;  
 (v) a second gas-tight bulkhead between the middle compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (vi) a first top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the front compartment and the rear compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the front compartment and the rear compartment;  
 (vii) a front pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the front compartment;  
 (viii) a rear pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the first top air conduit into the rear compartment;  
 (ix) a second top air conduit connecting the pressurizing gas source with the middle compartment for conveying pressurizing gas to the middle compartment;  
 (x) a middle pressurizing gas inlet for conveying pressurizing gas from the second top air conduit into the middle compartment;  
 (xi) a valve for selectively directing pressurizing gas into either the first top air conduit or the second top air conduit;  
 (xii) a material conveying conduit which is in fluid communication with the pressurizing gas source and the front, middle and rear material outlets, which conduit includes a discharge end through which particulate material may be unloaded  
 (xiii) a bypass circuit by which pressurizing gas may be selectively directed into the front product compartment and the rear product compartment, the front product compartment but not the rear product compartment, or the rear product compartment but not the front product compartment;  
 
 and which includes the following step instead of step (b):  
 (b2) pressurizing the front product compartment without pressurizing the middle and the rear product compartments;  
 and which includes the following step instead of step (c):  
 (c2) discharging particulate material through the material outlet of the front product compartment into the material conveying conduit.